Modular protective cover



May 25, 1965 w. SPIRO ETAL MODULAR PROTECTIVE COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 12, 1963 FlG l INVENTORS. LLOYD W. SPIRO FRANK G. PETERSON BY Agent May 25, 1965 L. W. SPIRO ETAL MODULAR PROTECTIVE COVER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 12, 1963 FIG. 2

INVENTORS. LLOYD W. SPIRO FRANK G. PETERSON BY Agent M y 1965 w. SPIRO ETA].

MODULAR PROTECTIVE COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 12, 1963 a: iii:

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INVENTORS. LLOYD W. SPIRO QRANK G. PETERSON Agent United States Patent 3,185,197 MODULAR PROTECTIVE COVER Lloyd W. Spiro, Canoga Park, and Frank G. Peterson, Sherman Oaks, Calif., assignors to Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Burbank, Calif.

Filed Mar. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 264,618 1 Claim. (Cl. 150-52) The present invention relates to a protective covering technique and more particularly to a protective covering technique capable of covering various sized elements without the necessity of employing different sized integral covers.

In many areas of industry and particularly in the electronics industry, equipment consoles are of uniform size. However, depending upon use and space limitations, an equipment console may be located by itself or it may be located adjacent other similar equipment consoles to form a complete unit. Heretofore it has been considered necessary to manufacture a protective cover of one size for covering an individual console and a protective cover of other sizes for covering two or more adjacent consoles. Uniquely shaped console covers, for example an L shape, are expensive to manufacture and large storage supplies are usually not desirable. Therefore time delays are frequently encountered when the requirement for a unique shape becomes large.

The present invention provides a modular protective covering technique which makes it possible to manufacture a minimum number of varying sized protective cover elements and be able to cover the maximum number of varying shaped console combinations. Not only does this modular protective covering technique provide this advantage but it provides ease of covering and uncovering as well as a unique swing-away door-latching technique.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive, easy to handle protective cover.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective cover having the minimum number of different elements and being capable of covering the maximum number of different console combinations.

A further object is to provide a modular protective cover which provides ease of covering and uncovering and employs a swing-away door-latching technique.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is the front elevation of a single side panel.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of side panels being deployed about a console.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the protective cover in the swing-away position.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the technique for covering two adjacent consoles.

FIGURE 5 illustrates the technique for covering consoles arranged in an L configuration.

In FIGURE 1 is illustrated a single side panel 11 which is the basic element from which the modular protective cover of the present invention is formed. Side panel 11 consists of flexible material 13, such as .012 inch vinyl film, having along the left edge a belt 15 facing upward from the plane of the drawing and along the right edge a belt 17 facing downward and into the plane of the drawing. Belt 15 consists of many small plastic hooks and belt 17 consists of a soft pile material. Belt 15 can be obtained under the trade name Velcro Fastener and is identified as V-121(65)l00 Hooks and belt 17 can be obtained under the trade name Velcro Fastener and is identified as V-12-2-100 Pile. Belts 15 and 17 become interconnected by pressing them against each other and become separated by applying a separation force.

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Belt 19 is disposed along the top edge of material 13 and has cut-out sections 21, 23 and 25 for reasons which will hereinafter become apparent. It will be noted that belt 17 extends beyond the bottom edge of cut-out section 25 of belt 19. Of particular importance is the utilization of latching members 27, 29, 31 and 33 the function of which will be described with relation to FIGURES 2 and 3. Belts 15, 17 and 19 and latching members 27, 29, 31 and 33 are connected to flexible material 13 by means of adhesive material, stitching or the like.

In FIGURE 2 is illustrated the technique by which a single console is covered by the present modular protective covering technique. Top panel 35 consists of thin, flexible material and has belts 37, 39, 41 and 43 made of small plastic hooks, attached to the periphery thereof. These belts are disposed on the upper surface and a belt of soft pile material, not shown, is disposed under at least one of belts 37-43 such that adjacent top panels of adjacent consoles may be interconnected as best depicted in FIGURES 4 and 5. It will be particularly noted that belt 17 of side panel 11 is connected to belt 15' of side panel 11' and that complete closure is accomplished by wrapping side panels 11 and 11 about console 45 and connecting belt 15 to 17 and belts 19 and 19' to belts 37 through 43.

In FIGURE 3 is illustrated a single console with onehalf of side panel 11 in the swing-away position thereby exposing the operating and control elements of the electronic console. It will be particularly noted that the opened half of side panel 11 is held in position by pressing latching members 29 and 31 together and latching members 27 and 33 together.

In FIGURES 4 and 5 is illustrated the large degree of flexibility obtained by the use of single-sized side panels and single-sized top panels for covering consoles arranged together in different configurations. FIGURE 4 illustrates the use of three identical side panels 11, 11' and 11" and two identical top panels 35 and 35' for completely covering two adjacent consoles. FIGURE 5 illustrates the use of four identical side panels 11, 11', 11" and 11" and three identical top panels 35, 35' and 35" for completely covering three adjacent consoles arranged in an L configuration.

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that a unique module protective covering technique is provided which makes standardization of panel sizes possible even though the number of modules and their combined configuration may vary. It is to be understood in connection with this invention that the embodiment shown is only exemplary, and that various modifications can be made in construction and arrangement within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A flexible protective cover comprising first and second side panels each of which has front and back sides, upper and lower horizontal edges and right and left vertical edges, the front side having a first belt disposed along the left vertical edge thereof and a second belt disposed along the upper horizontal edge thereof, the back side having a third belt disposed along the right vertical edge thereof, the back side including first, second, third and fourth latching members disposed adjacent to and below said upper edge wherein said first and fourth members are respectively adjacent said right and left vertical edges and said second and third members are disposed in spaced apart relation and adjacent the center portion of said upper horizontal edge, a top panel having a belt disposed about the entire periphery thereof, the belt of said top panel, said first belt and said first and second latching members being made of small flexible hooks, said second and third belts and said third and fourth latching members r r as being made of a fibrous material wherein the fiber and hooks may be connected and disconnected by the application of compression and tension forces respectively, the first belt of said first panel being operatively connected to the third belt of saidsecondpanel, the third belt 5 of said first panel being operatively connected to the first belt of said second panel, the second belts of said first and second panels being operatively connected to the belt disposed about the entire periphery of said top panel, whereby each of said first and second panels may be disconnected and folded back upon itself such that the first and fourth latching members and second and third latching members are respectively connected to support the disconnected portion of each panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 23,582 4/59 Johns 13s 1 396,090 1/89 Johnson 150--52 1,607,122 11/26 Gifford.

3,063,749 11/62 Struble etal 24 204 10 3,066,321 12/62 Kintner 24 204 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

